HALLOWEEN RISK

What To Do If Your Car Gets Egged

By Jerry Reynolds

Car Pro
October 25, 2017

If your car is going to get egged, it will probably be Tuesday night. Lots of things can happen on Halloween, but getting your car egged is one of the WORST. It happened to me a few years ago, and I am sure it was random, but the results could have been bad had I not known what to do. Thank goodness I saw it before I left for the day.

As harmless as eggs seem, they can actually wreak havoc on vehicle paint surfaces and cause long-lasting, permanent damage. The yolk that’s now smeared all over your car has to break free somehow, and the impact of the egg hitting your car causes shell fragments to burst over the surface in sequential rings, which cause scratches. Depending on the proximity of the pitcher, these scratches could be buffable or they could pierce the clearcoat, and sometimes even chip away paint to reveal the metal body beneath. Not only are the shells a danger, but the actual yolk and egg white are extremely corrosive to paint surfaces, and can actually eat into the car’s surface if left on too long.

Unfortunately, with eggs, if you snooze, you lose… a layer of paint, that is. If not removed immediately, an egg will cause permanent damage to any and all paints, no matter how well-waxed and/or maintained the vehicle is. So, if you’re waking up to a sunny-side-up quarter panel, the damage will have already been done. What you need to do is clean the surface as much as possible with water.

Use the pressure from a hose to clear off the dried egg so that you don’t rub minuscule bits of eggshell around the surface (which would cause more scratches than you already have to deal with). Once you’ve cleared the surface, take a closer look at the area. If the paint has been etched away — the surface will feel rough — then a repaint is necessary; otherwise, you’ll be left with a permanent scar. Often, the egg will cause the paint to look foggy or faded, which can also only be corrected by repainting the car.

However, if the eggshells caused no damage and you got to the egg in time, an overall wash with soft detergent may do the trick to mask the nasty prank. Also, the color of your car will help; lighter shades — such as silver, white and beige — won’t show as much scarring as black, blue or dark green. So if you have a garage you can put a car in, leave the lighter color out unless there is a huge difference in the value of the cars.

Should this happen to you, shoot all you can off with water and get the car to a professional detailer ASAP. Most dealerships have them if you don’t know anyone else. Egg will eat right through your clearcoat, and ultimately your paint if left alone and exposed to the sun. Also, call your insurance company and let them know in case a problem arises later that could result in a lot of expensive paint repairs.